Short Interest in Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV) Increases By 55.1%

Ambev S.A. (NYSE:ABEV) saw a large growth in short interest in the month of October. As of October 15th, there was short interest totalling 68,220,000 shares, a growth of 55.1% from the September 30th total of 43,980,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 28,040,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.4 days. Approximately 0.4% of the company’s stock are short sold.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have issued reports on ABEV. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of Ambev in a research note on Friday, October 18th. They set a “buy” rating for the company. UBS Group cut their price target on shares of Ambev from $3.20 to $2.90 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $2.75.

Ambev Stock Down 0.9 %

Shares of Ambev stock traded down $0.02 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $2.25. 14,546,246 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 18,837,734. The company has a market cap of $35.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.84, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.34 and a beta of 1.05. Ambev has a 52 week low of $2.01 and a 52 week high of $3.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a quick ratio of 0.78 and a current ratio of 1.11. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $2.35 and its 200 day simple moving average is $2.26.

Ambev (NYSE:ABEV) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, August 1st. The company reported $0.03 EPS for the quarter, hitting the consensus estimate of $0.03. The firm had revenue of $3.85 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $3.56 billion. Ambev had a net margin of 17.93% and a return on equity of 16.94%. During the same quarter last year, the firm posted $0.03 EPS. Equities analysts expect that Ambev will post 0.17 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC increased its holdings in shares of Ambev by 207.2% during the 1st quarter. Allspring Global Investments Holdings LLC now owns 2,342,440 shares of the company’s stock worth $5,809,000 after purchasing an additional 1,580,000 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Ambev by 13.7% during the 1st quarter. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. now owns 704,122 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,746,000 after purchasing an additional 85,000 shares during the period. Privium Fund Management B.V. increased its holdings in shares of Ambev by 28.4% during the 1st quarter. Privium Fund Management B.V. now owns 459,242 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,139,000 after purchasing an additional 101,674 shares during the period. Seafarer Capital Partners LLC increased its holdings in shares of Ambev by 29.9% during the 1st quarter. Seafarer Capital Partners LLC now owns 25,199,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $62,494,000 after purchasing an additional 5,800,000 shares during the period. Finally, Team Hewins LLC increased its holdings in shares of Ambev by 26.3% during the 1st quarter. Team Hewins LLC now owns 216,284 shares of the company’s stock worth $536,000 after purchasing an additional 45,059 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 8.13% of the company’s stock.

About Ambev

Ambev SA, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, distribution, and sale of beer, draft beer, carbonated soft drinks, malt and food, other alcoholic beverages, and non-alcoholic and non-carbonated products in Brazil, Central America and Caribbean, Latin America South, and Canada. It offers beer primarily under the Skol, Brahma, Antarctica, Brahva, Budweiser, Bud Light, Beck, Leffe, Hoegaarden, Balboa ICE, Balboa, Atlas Golden Light, Atlas, Bucanero, Cristal, Mayabe, Presidente, Presidente Light, Brahma Light, Bohemia, The One, Corona, Modelo Especial, Stella Artois, Quilmes Clásica, Paceña, Taquiña, Huari, Becker, Cusqueña, Michelob Ultra, Busch, Pilsen, Ouro Fino, Bud 66, Banks, Deputy, Patricia, Labatt Blue, Alexander Keith’s, and Kokanee brands.